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Intel Preview: Z77 Motherboards Run Well With Linux

04-15-2012, 10:50 AM

Phoronix: Intel Preview: Z77 Motherboards Run Well With Linux

Intel introduced their new Z77 "Panther Point" chipset earlier this month in advance of the Ivy Bridge processor launch. Questions have begun to pour in how the line-up of Z77 motherboards are working under Linux. Are there any Linux compatibility problems? Here is my brief statement on the matter for now after having already used two Z77 motherboards for a while under Linux.

I don't have got Z77, but basically that chipset is only slightly improved from Z68, the main difference is the integrated USB 3.0 controller. Intel does not provide XP drivers for that btw, a bit unlogical as every other usb 3.0 controller has got drivers for that old os as well. Maybe it would work with other drivers there as well, no idea. Of course when you buy a new board Z77 chipset should be the best choice for OC. I don't think the sata controller part changed at all, the pci-e controller is in the cpu, so you get pci-e 3.0 support just by replacing the cpu not the board (assuming you get a bios update with ivy bridge support). If i would have got a new Panther Point board i would look if there is a secure boot option in there. But my personal guess is that only oem boards will have got this feature.

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Good to know there's problem on Linux, but it's not really a surprise, since it's basically the same chipset as Cougar Point.

The whole platform is a disappointment. It was supposed to be 30% clock for clock than SB (remember intel's amazing 3D technology?), yet benchmarks show no difference from SB (2500k vs 3750k). There seems to be no improvement in power consumption either, even if intel labels the CPUs at only 75W, down from 95W. I was waiting to upgrade when I heard I could fit an IB CPU onto my P67 mobo, but it seems there's no reason to do that...

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The whole platform is a disappointment. It was supposed to be 30% clock for clock than SB (remember intel's amazing 3D technology?), yet benchmarks show no difference from SB (2500k vs 3750k). There seems to be no improvement in power consumption either, even if intel labels the CPUs at only 75W, down from 95W. I was waiting to upgrade when I heard I could fit an IB CPU onto my P67 mobo, but it seems there's no reason to do that...

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30% could be only the vga part faster (from HD3000 to HD4000), maybe 10% for the cpu at stock speed (i7). The HD4000 is now DX11 compatible, but Linux does not support OpenGL 4 yet (nor does the Intel Win OpenGL driver). It should be fast enough to play Rage @ 1080p (on Win). I really want to know when this will work on Linux (via Wine). If you already own SNB you can usually OC your cpu (without overvolting) and get the same or more speed than default IVB. It's therefore more reasonable to upgrade from Core2 or Athlon/Phenom systems than from SNB. It is useless to upgrade because of energy savings, the diff is so minimal as only the full duty energy consumption was optmized - definitely only at stock speed. Usually your cpu idles 90% of the day so you will not save much. If you use dedicated vga you can save even less energy.

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Ubuntu has more tha 50% of GNU/Linux, it must be at every benchmark, but others too.

Arch and Sabayon, LMDE, and Fedora and OpenSUSE are good alternatives and must be also be benchmarked.

I am using Sabayon XFCE, I do like it a lot, fast as hell with a 1000 hz compiled kernel and TRUE Rolling Release.

I also have other backup installations with mint12 and LMDE plus an Ubuntu PP at Vbox.

I would like to read poroniz readers stats, probably there would e more arch and sabayon users than ubuntu ones, at least more than total ubuntu share.

As you like to benchmark ubuntu a lot, please, benchmark the next ubuntu PP LTS vs current ARCH SABAYON, LMDE Fedora and OpenSuse. And probably ubuntu will not be the best one. But i think every other distro must adapt its PPA system in order to have more software

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Thanks for your Preview, one question: So H77 or B75 is running fine under Ubuntu 12.04 LTS too ????? I will buy a H77 or B75 chipset based motherboard with IVB as soon as IVB come into the market in china.